


A Moment of Peace

by Finaiarel



Series: Puzzle-June 2019 [3]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Fluff, M/M, Morning Routines, No Plot/Plotless, Non-Sexual Intimacy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-04
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2020-04-07 21:38:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19093639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Finaiarel/pseuds/Finaiarel
Summary: Yugi has recently arrived to the paradise ofAaru,and there is much he has to learn.Waking up early might just be the hardest.





	A Moment of Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt-fill for PuzzleJune 2019 day three: "Eternal." 
> 
> Pretty much just plotless, pointless fluff, but it's all I've got. Enjoy these gays.

The sun was not yet more than a streak of pink on the horizon when Yugi stirred slowly, lashes fluttering as he slowly came to consciousness. It was early yet, and the steady stroke of fingers down his spine had the little king of games slowly waking to face the morning. Flexing his toes as he stretched, he groaned softly and nuzzled into his pillow - Atem’s chest.

“Good morning, Meri. Not feeling like getting up this morning?” his king hummed, chuckling softly. His partner seemed content to remain abed, and he knew it would take some prodding to get him out and about.

“Mm, wanna stay n’ cuddle,” he mumbled, slurring his words as his groggy mind tried to come to consciousness.

“That would be nice, wouldn’t it? To laze around in bed all day?” 

“Mmhmm,” he hummed, a smile slowly blooming on his lips at the thought. He threw an arm over Atem’s chest, perfectly happy to take him up on the offer and go right back to sleep in his arms.

“I’m afraid we can’t do such things, Aibou,” Atem hummed, smiling as he reached down to remove his arm and nudge him to sit up. “We both have responsibilities, you know.”

“Don’t wanna,” Yugi whined, smile quickly fading as he blinked heavy violet eyes open and leveled a pout at Atem. He slowly pushed himself up, holding himself up with one arm as the other rubbed sleep from his eyes. A little groan spilled from his lips, and he wobbled for a moment before sitting up straight.

“I know you don’t want to, darling,” Atem crooned, his heart breaking at just how cute his partner was when he first woke up. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to drag him back into bed and ravish him till those little moans were all for him, but there was no time. “We have a meeting with Mahad in an hour, and Dedyet has already started the bath.”

Yugi breathed in deeply and finally opened his eyes completely, setting his shoulders. He had finally accepted his fate, then. “Alright, alright… I’m up.”

Atem grinned. “That’s my good boy. Come on, partner,” he teased, leaning in to kiss Yugi on the forehead before sliding from the bed. 

Yugi narrowed his eyes at him, but did not protest. The muscles of Atem’s back rippled as he rose, and if Yugi’s eyes lingered on the firm planes of his partner’s ass, no one was the wiser. He kicked free of the sheets and followed Atem to the bathroom, pausing in the doorway to survey the bathing chamber.

The blue tile flooring glimmered in the low light, and the low-set basin in the floor was filled with lightly steaming water. It was cloudy and a slight green color - a mixture of oils meant to purify and strengthen the skin. Dedyet was nowhere in sight.

Yugi followed Atem as he made his way into the bath, sinking into the water with a quiet moan. His legs and back were still sore from the afternoon ride they had taken the previous day. The water rose up to his neck, and Yugi quickly sank down in it and relaxed completely. 

Soft splashes could be heard as Atem settled in across from him, and Yugi peeked through heavy-lidded eyes to see crimsons watching him. “Don’t get too comfortable, Aibou. We have somewhere to be, and I don’t want to have to wake you again.”

“I’m not going to fall asleep this time,” Yugi murmured, brushing his foot against Atem’s leg teasingly. “I’m awake enough.”

“Those lazy eyelids of yours say otherwise.” Atem’s lips twitched as he reached for the vial of natron and the vial of oil. Emptying a bit of natron salt into his palms, he combined it with the oil and worked it into a lather. “Come here, little one. Let me wash your hair.”

Yugi sighed and obediently moved over to his partner, settling in the king’s lap and closing his eyes as Atem worked the soap into a lather in his thick curls. Yugi hummed and relaxed into his lover’s chest, letting Atem guide him to submerge his head in the water and rinse the soap from his hair. 

When it was finished, Yugi carefully pushed his soaked blonde bangs from his eyes. “Your turn, Pharaoh,” he said softly, and they switched places then so that Yugi could return the favor for Atem. He took his time, massaging his lover’s scalp thoroughly to work out some of his tension. Even in the afterlife, being a pharaoh was a stressful job. When he got ready to rinse his hair, he bent and pressed a kiss to Atem’s nose before lowering him below the water, a little smirk on his lips at the way his husband’s cheeks flushed at the sweet gesture. 

When all the soap was gone, Atem rose and pushed his hair out of his eyes. Even with his hair slicked back and his face clean of makeup, the king looked breathtaking. Yugi swallowed hard and tried not to trace the rivulets of water as they ran down the planes of his chest, his cheeks flushing softly. 

He needed to keep his mind out of the gutter. They did not have time for sex this morning, no matter what his mind and his body said. He focused on the rippling of the water as Atem rose to his feet in the tub and climbed out the side, holding a hand out for Yugi to help him up. He was half-hard when he clambered out of the tub, but it was common enough for the both of them that Atem said nothing of it, and Yugi was grateful.

Atem busied himself with gathering more natron and soap in his hand and picking up a washcloth. “Let’s get you cleaned up, Aibou,” Atem hummed, He worked it into the cloth and began to rub it against Yugi’s back, slowly washing the sweat from his skin. It was a familiar and comforting routine, and it was easy to focus in on the deep rumble of his husband’s hum to tune out the lure of arousal.

They bathed fairly regularly. Once in the morning and once at night at the least, and sometimes more if they got particularly filthy or hot during the day. The nights were cool, but they still found ways to work up a sweat. The marks of the night before were scattered across Yugi’s pale skin, purple and yellow in the light of the early morning. 

Yugi relaxed bonelessly into his husband as Atem reached around to begin washing his front, closing his eyes as the washcloth ran over his chest. Atem’s touches were gentle and efficient, and soon enough Yugi was washed thoroughly. Atem helped him back down into the tub, and Yugi rinsed the soap from his sensitive skin.

Then it was Atem’s turn. Yugi followed through the familiar motions of lathering up the rag and rubbing it into Atem’s sun-kissed brown skin, using firm, massaging touches on the muscles there. Atem had more sweat and grime on him than Yugi - he woke before the sun rose to join his guards in the training grounds each morning for his morning workout while Yugi slept. The little consort worked his fingers into all of the tight spots he could find, and slowly the tension drained from the king before him under deft fingers. 

By the time Atem was rinsed, it was nearly time for their meeting. The two hurried to towel off and head back into their room, where Atem’s handmaids were waiting. They dressed them in their _shendyt_ and did their kohl makeup for them. Atem usually loved doing this for Yugi - there was something very intimate about dressing his partner as he would one of his own people - but this morning they were in a hurry. By the time they were finished, they had just moments to head down to the mage’s workshop before he would be expecting them. 

“Come on,” Atem urged, waiting near the doorway in his kingly regalia. The maids had finished him first, and Yugi was donning his collar as he hurried toward the door. “You know how Mahad is, _”Imi-ib.”_

“I’m coming!” Yugi huffed, fingers deftly clasping the collar around his neck as he hurried forward. The leather choker had been the one thing he had not wanted to give up from the modern world, and Atem had not been entirely displeased with it. After all, it had its uses.

As soon as Yugi reached him, Atem turned on his heel and began leading Yugi out of his chambers, a hand pressed to the small of his partner’s back. His cloak swirled behind them as they walked, and guards and servants alike parted for the king. 

By the time they arrived at Mahad’s magic workshop, they were five minutes late. The stern magician was of course very displeased with their tardiness, but Yugi thought he saw the powerful mage crack a smile during a break in their arguing, when Atem was not looking. He and Mana wisely stayed out of it, opting instead to make some tea and sneak some sweets from Mahad’s stash while the mage was otherwise occupied. 

And when they finally settled down on the couches amongst their friends, Yugi knew all was forgiven. The servants brought out a spread of food, and they all settled in together to enjoy the breads, dates, grapes, fish, and other myriad assortment of dishes. Halfway through dessert, which was some sort of crumbly sweetbread, Yugi was astonished and embarrassed to discover that Atem had somehow taught Mana the tune of “happy birthday,” and that the mage had then gone on to teach it to Mahad. 

Laughing at the off-key rendition of the famous modern anthem the three managed to put on, Yugi realized quite suddenly that he was completely and utterly content. Early starts or not, this was right where he wanted to be - tucked up against Atem’s side in the warmth of the morning sunshine, enjoying good company and good food, with the people his partner loved most. His own friends would arrive in time, but for now, they were enough. _This_ was enough.

Living in _Aaru_ would take some getting used to, but spending an eternity like this was starting to look pretty good.


End file.
